Nyeri Catholic Archdiocese Archbishop Anthony Muheria has cautioned the political class against squandering the opportunity handed to them by Kenya’s young populace by allocating themselves to senior government positions in the name of an all-inclusive broad-based approach to restoring the nation.

Muheria spoke after the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party bagged four cabinet slots in President William Ruto’s reconstituted cabinet.

A day after President Ruto nominated Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, nominated MP John Mbadi and ODM deputy party leaders Wycliffe Oparanya and Ali Hassan Joho to his new look Cabinet, Muheria has cautioned the political class against taking advantage of the situation in the country to reward themselves, under the guise of a broad-based government meant to onboard all Kenyans.

He has advised the president to prioritize integrity among individuals he appoints to serve with him as one of the demands by Gen Z’s.

The archbishop has cautioned that failure to listen to Kenya’s young population could easily polarize the nation.

“Inclusive conversations are deep listening, deep listening to people who don’t think like you. Deep listening that is broad. That is beyond the leadership of politics, that is with the religious leaders, that is with the young people, that is with the workers, that is with the journalists. It cannot be an instrumented dialogue,” Muheria said.

After a month-long protest by the youth of the country, Muheria is sceptical about the steps the administration is taking in addressing issues raised by anti-government protesters particularly when it comes to the country’s governance.

“Dialogue seems to have gotten the idea of what is the share that I get. What's in this for me? No, it's an inclusive discussion. Conversation. Where I listen to what you have to say really. And when I listen I make it mine and find out how I can find space for what you’ve told me in my discourse and in my action that is what this country needs,” he added.

The religious leader asked President Ruto, to nominate individuals known to have the highest levels of integrity to his cabinet, and advised him to consult widely and not to rush to make appointments that will further derail the country’s healing process.

“Integrity is also hearing not what you want to hear but hearing what is being said and allowing yourself to be critiqued, criticized, corrected and suggestions to be made to you. Suggestions that may not be according to your way of thinking but yes will help to build this noble and great Kenya that all of us really are longing for,” Muheria noted.